Sewer rod booster



E. J. BROOKS SEWER ROD BOOSTER Dec. 11, 1934.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 l 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWER ROD BOOSTER Elbert J. Brooks, Sparta, Wis.

Application November 24, 1933, Serial No. 699,595

2 Claims. (01. 15-10430) The present invention appertains to new and removably disposed and this bolt supports the U- useful improvements in actuating means for shaped saddle 19 which supports the hook end sewer cleaning rods. 20 of the primary sewer rod 21. The remaining The principal object of the present invention rod sections are connected together by a conven- 5, is to provide a booster which can be operated tional type of coupling generally referred to by in an easy and convenient manner and which numeral 22, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rod will afford step by step advancement of the rod sections being denoted by numerals 21--23. One line. of the bars included in the handle portion of the Another important object of the present invenlever is extended above the other bar, by prefertion is to provide a booster which can be more ence, as shown in Figures 1 and 5. 10 quickly assembled for use than those types now The lower portion of the frame 1'7 is constricted in use. and provided with a pair of depending leg por- Other important objects and advantages of the tions 24-24. The leg portions are connected at invention will become apparent to the reader of their upper ends by a member 25, while a pin 26 the followingspecification. bridges the legs adjacent their lower ends and 15 In the drawing:- this pin 26 is seatable selectively in the notches Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view 6 of the bar 5. through a manhole showing the novel apparatus It can now be seen that with the device posiin place. tioned in the manner shown in Figure 1, the

Figure 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale, lever 16 is started toward the left end of the bar 20 partly in section and partly in side elevation il- 5 (as shown in Figure 1) and as advancement is lustrating the coupling between two sewer rods. necessary, the pin 26 can be engaged step by Figure 3 comprises disconnected perspective step with the notches 6 and in this way advanceviews of the adjoining ends of sewer rods. ment can be made.

5 Figure 4 is a detail view taken at right angles At all times, the lever will be free to operate. to Figure 1 and showing the base bar and trans- Incidental to the installation of my novel apverse section and showing in elevation the Y- paratus, the Y-shaped member 9 is moved on the shaped member that is not fixed to the base bar. bar 5 tofit the apparatus to the particular man- Figure 5 is a view at right angles to Figure 1 hole in which the apparatus is to be operated, and

and showing only the lever and the saddle caras soon as pressure is applied on the screws com- 30 ried thereby. plementary to the member 9, the said member 9 Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals clamps the bar 5 and the latter is securely held designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral in the desired position, it being understood that 5 represents a bar having a plurality of openthe screws complementary to the member 13 bear ings 6 or notches equally spaced along one lonagainst the opposite portion of the manhole as 35 gitudinal edge thereof, each opening being proshown in Figure 1. The screws complementary to vided with a narrow inlet throat 7. the two members 9 and 13 are adjustable to the One end of the bar 5 is snugly disposed in the rough manhole walls and afiord a four point andepending portion 8 of the Y-shaped member 9 chorage that precludes rolling of the bar 5. The

which is provided with internally threaded heads Y-shape of the members 9 and 13 and the mount- 40 10-10 at the upper ends of its arms through ing of the screws in the ends of the arms thereof which the set screws 11 are ieedable. is also advantageous inasmuch as the screws At 13 is a Y-shaped member having a dependare enabled to engage the masonry wall of the ing portion 12 which receives and is fixed at 26 to manhole at points not aligned with the sewers.

the opposite end of the notched bar 5 and the The notches 6 in the bar 5 characterized by the 45 arms of the upper ends of this member 13 are contracted mouths '7 are advantageous inasmuch provided with interiorly threaded enlargements as they are calculated to hold the lever in engage- 14 through which the set screws 15 are feedable. ment with the bar 5 and to enable the operator With the bar 5 in the position shown in Figure 1, to pull as well as push sewer rods in an efficient the set screws 11 and 15 are fed through the enmanner through the medium of the lever. When 50 largements 10 and 14, respectively, to bind against the lever 16 is attached to a sewer rod coupling the bottom portion of the manhole wall. member, Figure 1, the lever may be advanced or Numeral 16 represents the actuating lever moved in the opposite direction together with which is provided with a frame-like portion 17 the sewer rod by simply lifting the lever out of at its lower portion across which the bolt 18 is the notch in the bar 5 and placing the lever in 5 another notch or opening of said bar 5, this being done without disconnecting the sewer rod from 7 coupling of a sewer rod, said coupling or coupling member resting in and on the saddle and the construction being such that the connection of the coupling member to the lever may be e'xpeditiously effected without removal of the pin lS of the lever. As shown in Figure 3 the bill of the coupling member 20 is bifurcated to receive a tongue on a complementary coupling member, the tongue being designated by 22, and the coupling 20 is provided opposite the bifurcation in its" bill with a projection under which the tongue 22 of the other coupling member is adapted to engage; The Y -shaped member 13 fixed to the bar 5 in the manner shown or :in any other appropriate manner is stationary and affords a shoe for the-sewer rods to slide on as they are pushed into the sewer. 7

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is tobe understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in a manhole for the manual movement of a sewer rod or rods, comprising a base bar having openings with contracted mouths irfits upper edge, Y-shaped members having divergent arms with threaded openings in their outer portions and screws bearing in said openings and adapted to be set against the masonry of a manhole to hold the base bar against rolling; one of said members being secured adjacent one end of the base bar, and. the other member having an opening in its lower portion receiving the base bar, whereby said member when canted by action of its screws will be clamped to the base bar, a lever having a portion removably arrangedin one of the openings of the base bar and also having an open intermediate portion, a saddle in said intermediate open portion of the lever and adapted to seat a coupling member on a sewer rod, and a cross pin connecting the saddle and lever and adapted to engage the coupling member of a sewer rod for the movement thereof by the lever, said saddle being pivoted on said cross'pin. i

. 2. An apparatus for use in a. manhole for the manual movement of a sewer rod or rods, comprising a base bar, Y-shaped members having divergent arms with threaded openings in their outer portions and screws bearing in said openings and adapted to be set against the masonry of a manhole to hold the base bar against rolli g, one of said members being secured adjacent one end of the base bar, and the other member having an opening in its lower portion receiving the base bar, whereby said member when canted by action of its screws will be clamped to the base bar, a lever fulcrumed on the base bar, and means establishing engagement between the lever and a sewer rod whereby rocking of the lever will be attended by endwise movement of the sewer rod.

ELBERT J. BROOKS. 

